Skin lightening products with dangerous levels of mercury

Some skin lightening ingredients work extremely well in the short-term, but are dangerous to our well-being and the long-term health of our skin. Mercury is one of them.

While the use of mercury in skin lightening creams have been banned for some time now, they are still produced and sold.

Below is a list of known skin lightening creams that contain dangerous levels of mercury (more than 1 ppm or one part per million).

The list of creams, lotions and soaps below are only the ones I’ve found, so it’s not an inclusive list. In other words — just because a cream is not listed here, it doesn’t mean they’re safe and that they are free of mercury.

In August 2011, Philippine watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition conducted a test of 12 brands of whitening creams. 11 tested positive for high levels of mercury (download pdf). Later in October 2011, the same group screened 25 brands and found that 19 contained 1,395 ppm to 52,100 ppm of mercury (none listed mercury as an ingredient).

Appearance and packaging

Most skin lightening creams containing mercury are either white or yellow in color.

Unscrupulous manufacturers can also easily change their product names and packaging to evade the authorities. The packaging for skin whitening creams containing mercury would also usually not list mercury as one of its ingredients, although sometimes ‘calomel’ is listed (calomel is mercurous chloride, a type of mercury).

In another case, sellers of the banned St. Dalfour whitening cream not only stole an existing European jam company’s brand name St. Dalfour for themselves, but also reused the company’s jam jars! Perhaps most shockingly is that these startling facts aren’t enough to deter everyone.

Skin whitening forums are rife with sellers insisting they have the “real” St Dalfour whitening cream, as opposed to the “fake” ones. All without a trace of irony.

Photos of some creams that contain mercury

Like the bulleted text list above, the below table is not an inclusive list.

Packaging is repurposed jam jars! See the original jars that came from a separate and unrelated jam manufacturer.

FRAUD ALERT. I’ve received fake comments from someone posing as different people (“Lars Darby”, supposed “CEO” of St Dalfour Whitening Cream + “Maria”, a commenter selling the “original” St Dalfour cream). The comments came from the same I.P address (click to view screenshot).

Questions about the safety of specific creams

Many have asked about the safety of specific creams in the comments section below – i.e. whether this or that cream is safe or if it contains mercury.

I’m quite unable to answer most of these queries since I’m not an independent testing agency, nor do I have the funds or backing to source for these creams and get them tested on my own at third-party labs.

If you look through the long list of banned products on this page, you’ll find that the information was largely gathered from various countries’ government agencies and customs departments. They are publicly available information. All I can do is try to put the scattered pieces in one place.

So there’s not much I can tell you about the safety of a specific cream if you’ve already done a Google search and came up with little to nothing reliable on it (although I think finding little good information is already an answer in and of itself — no matter what, you’ll be taking a risk with it).

If you have questions or are doubtful about the safety of any cream, I would advise that you err on the side of caution for the following reasons.

Long waits to identifying dangerous creams. There can be a long time lag between a cream with mercury first being sold and consumers being made aware that it is actually dangerous. Many creams that were found to contain mercury were only discovered to be harmful after many months (and sometimes years) of being sold.

Lax or non-existent government monitoring. Most creams that use banned substances like mercury are manufactured in markets where there is little or no reliable government monitoring and control. Sometimes there can also be the appearance of oversight, but no real protection. Low-wage public officials that are responsible for monitoring the use of banned substances in manufacturing can be easily paid off to sweep things under the rug.

Most creams pass through borders without being tested. Many product warnings on creams with banned substances actually originate from other countries’ customs departments during the import/export process. However, even this system is plagued with holes since only a small percentage of products that enter a country are actually chemically tested. So for importers/exporters, it’s really a game of numbers. It makes financial sense for them to continue shipping banned/harmful creams because they know that even if some will be seized, most will pass through trade borders undetected.

E-commerce has made it easy for anyone to package and sell creams without certification or licensing. Little-heard-of creams that are sold in small shops and markets may be made in homes, basements, garages, etc. It is very easy for anyone to mix, package, label and sell their own creams. Do a search on ebay or alibaba and you’ll find all the chemical ingredients and packaging needed for anyone to start selling their own “magic cream”, complete with shiny packaging and too-good-to-be-true promises. There are no guarantees with these creams except that the people selling them will make some money. All the risk is borne by the users who might end up with irreparable skin damage, be hospitalised, or worse.

Laws and systems do work to protect consumers to some extent, but they cannot guarantee 100% safety.

So the best protection is really ourselves and our own good judgement.

Here are two good rules of thumb

Use creams that are manufactured by large, reputable companies with a global presence. Do an online search before you buy. If you need more information, visit the company’s website. A good manufacturer will have a way for you send questions such as a working telephone number or email address.

Only buy creams that are sold in reputable retail stores. Your best bet is large pharmacy and supermarket chains (e.g. Boots, Guardian, Watsons) as their retail buyers have to adhere to certain safety and quality standards. They also have a reputation to maintain.

And if you want to save some money, create your own skin lightening methods using natural ingredients such as turmeric, lemon juice and vinegar. They’ll cost pennies compared to expensive creams and you’ll know exactly what you’re putting on your skin.

Hi, I started using Goree cream yesterday and found out from te internet that it has a hgih content of Mercury. but based on the package it is non toxic or nonpoisonous. I want to know if it is safe or not? Thanks

Just a friendly advice. STOP using Goree, it is not safe.. I have bought goree cream and used it on my underarm for 1 week, it really lightened and made it very soft. However, I found out in the net the frightening side effects of goree, so I immediately stopped using it. Slowly, the side effects are happening in my underarm, red marks are showing, it seems like an allergic reaction, even if I am not putting anything, the marks are still showing and are getting worse everday. As I observed, the marks is getting worst if your underarm will be rub on a cloth, more friction, more red marks. I am already very worried and scared So I went to my dermatologist and spent a big amount of money. In conclusion, DO NOT USE GOREE CREAM. Even if it has a packaging that they said is the real, between the fakes. Packagings can be easily changed but the content cannot.

Very well said… That’s why nowadays illness are all around us because of the chemicals that we put on our body…why some people are not satisfy of what they have??? There is more natural ways to have a glowing skin… Eat right more vegetables and drink plenty of water. We cannot stop to be old but can stop to be ill. Don’t be stress so you will look young and healthy.

Hi Hessa..known from tv advertisement and internet that GLOW SKIN WHITE are currently popular among Malaysians here..does it contain any Mercury or other harmful ingredients.?good to know you had done alot of research about this..would like your advise on this..tq

Hi Vani, thanks for highlighting that cream. I did some searching and yes, Glow Skin White was tested by Pharmacy Laboratory Services and was found to contain mercury. I’ve updated the list above to include this information now.

Hi Hessa. I want to know can you help me to answer me if this cream contain mercury…feique whitning speckles removed cream? It’s in blue pack with two small plastic jars contain one of them yellow and the other one white cream. Thanks xxx

Hi.. i ever checked in your web early this year that Tati skincare is no longer under the list of cream with mercury. However when i surf your web again today, it is back in the list and when i clicked the link given, that was the article back then in 2017 with gold packaging. Presently, Tati skincare is with purple packaging. would you be able to assist and check if it still consists of mercury?

Thank you for your efforts to reduce exposure from cosmetics! I came across your website while researching mercury in cosmetics.

The Zero Mercury Working Group* is developing a global NGO campaign to reduce exposure to mercury from cosmetics and is interested in exploring possible collaborations.

Would you be interested in scheduling a call to discuss methods and approaches, and explore possible collaboration? We are planning on developing a section of our website focusing on mercury in creams.

*The Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG) is an international coalition of over 95 public interest environmental and health non-governmental organizations from more than 50 countries from around the world formed in 2005 by the European Environmental Bureau and the Mercury Policy Project. ZMWG strives for zero supply, demand, and emissions of mercury from all anthropogenic sources, with the goal of reducing mercury in the global environment to a minimum. Our mission is to advocate and support the adoption and implementation of a legally binding instrument which contains mandatory obligations to eliminate where feasible, and otherwise minimize, the global supply and trade of mercury, the global demand for mercury, anthropogenic releases of mercury to the environment, and human and wildlife exposure to mercury.

hi hessa 🙂 the product “Glow Skin White” that you have listed recently, I am one of the user of this product. so I really consider about what I’m exactly putting on my face. I went to their official page and asked them that “your cream has been listed in mercury content cream, is that true?” and they replied “it’s not our product . it is Glow Skin White Brunei not from Malaysia”. so hessa, the product you have tested positive for mercury is Glow Skin White Malaysia right? thank you.

can you check and tell me about the mercury level of NOOR HERBAL BEAUTY CREAM by kaw products of pakistan
it says that it is a herbal cream of avacado and aloevera but i feel different smell on it
plzzz tell me about that me n my many friends also using this cream after goree has banned by FDA
plz tell me about faiza cream also

Hallo, I Started Using Rapid Claire two weeks now. Am very dark in complexion and I want to turn my skin just a little, chocolate complexion. I was kindly asking if by any chance I start turning color and I stop using the rapid Claire lotion will it affect me rather will I go back to being dark. Hence I was also asking if rapid Claire has mercury kindly help me out. Thanks

Hello hessa.,
I just wonder why st. Dalfour cream has really good effect to me. I just stop it sometimes coz it’s a bit expensive. But really, the effect is noticeable and really lighten my face with just the cream only applied on my face.. I am still buying the product even though i already saw the jams with same packaging of the cream in the market. Can u give me more detailed info of the product since i am planning to buy it again after summer? Thank u..

This means just because a cream/lotion/soap is not listed does not mean it contains no mercury and is safe. It is impossible to have an inclusive list as we are playing catch up with regard to information — mercury in cosmetics is generally illegal, but widely practiced. The market for all goods is also made up of producers across many countries, and customs borders are porous. Thus, an inclusive list is rather impossible.

So our best protection is our own good judgement and discernment, which is always available.

I’ve already experienced the effect of using a mercury products for years! Yes, in the beginning it did lighten up your skin in quite a short span of time but in the long run my cheek develop pigmentation patch especially on my left check which is much more obvious then my left and; continuos rashes which make my face dull plus uneven skin tone!
I make an appointment with The National Skin Centre to asked them for advice on my skin condition which they gave me a cream to put on and eventually it started to fade but it takes time.
I learned my lesson well through the hard way!

Woow. This is a great effort that must be taken in this time period. Unnecessary harmful products are everywhere. Unfortunately due to lack of knowledge most people are buying and using bleaching products. I would like to Thankful for all the people who maintain this kind of a very useful information portal for all. Please keep it up. Keep inform us regulary regarding harmful products. Thank you very much. Love from Sri Lanka.!🇱🇰

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